New Album By Dionne Coming

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Bruce Bernard Williams
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2004 12:37 pm
Location: Tulsa

New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by Bruce Bernard Williams »

Just read where negotiations are taking place between Damon Elliott and Anthony Samuel Melikhov (founder of Bright Future International) for the release of an album by Dionne which will feature Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, and Elton John. A portion of the sales of the album will be going to Melikhov's organization which helps children in need of shelter, food, medicine, and education. An announcement of this venture is expected on Valentine's Day.
BachtoBacharach
Posts: 530
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2007 3:32 pm

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by BachtoBacharach »

Bruce, I hope this is so but I have my doubts. I am going to make a very harsh assessment of the likelihood of this project ever coming about and will give an example of the kind of things that happen around Warwick these days. Her son Damon seems to be quite the self-promoter to say the least and I would venture to say that Mom Dionne may be blind to this. This is a lengthy editorial post; please read the press articles very carefully as they are quite telling.

USA Today by Barbara Delollis: MIAMI — On Dec. 15, the iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel will hold a high-profile concert to raise money for victims of superstorm Sandy.
The event began as one of the hotel's four "Bleau Live" concerts that it will hold this year. It was to feature Dionne Warwick, Fontainebleau president Phil Goldfarb told me on Friday. But after Sandy devastated Warwick's native New Jersey and New York, the singer asked Fontainebleau execs if they could turn it into a benefit for Sandy victims. "We said, 'Done,'" Goldfarb says. "And she made some calls. Who's going to come is going to be amazing." Concert organizers are still putting the event together and confirming names, so we don't have all the details yet but expect big names. Pressed for names for Dec. 15, Goldfarb said Stevie Wonder will perform. Warwick still is an active performer. She's also the mother of Damon Elliott, who has produced singles and albums for acts such as Beyonce, Pink, Brittany Spears and Taylor Swift. The event will benefit United Way, which will receive a part of ticket sales and proceeds from live auctions.
"We're going go raise an awful lot of money for the hurricane victims," Goldfarb said.

This is an example of the kind of thing that seems to have cost Warwick so much credibility in the States. However honest her intentions are,these type of events she seems to associate herself with seldom seem to quite live up to the hype. "And she made some calls. Who's going to come is going to be amazing." Read the article above carefully. Even the press pushed for names, apparently not quite believing the "star-studded" hype. Who came? Natalie Cole and Wilmer Valderrama. Natalie Cole is highly regarded in American popular music but does not come to mind readily when you speak of icons of entertainment. Who is Wilmer Valederrama? He was a supporting player on the television show "That 70s Show" and known for appearing for pay at events such as these. That was the end of the "amazing" celebrity guest list; others attending seemed to be associates of Damon Elliott and his music group. The net proceeds of the event, after covering expenses, were to go to the United Way's Sandy Relief Fund. The amount the benefit raised has not been revealed, but if Warwick's past forays into fund raising post "That's What Friends Are For" are any indication, the expenses were probably excessive and very little, I would guess, went to the relief effort. It sounds like the Fountainbleau probably took a loss, much like the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel in DC after Warwick and Guy Draper left the hotel ( and over 500 holding tickets to the ball) saddled with the expenses for the failed Obama Ball. Many attendees , according to press accounts didn't receive refunds. Is this the way Warwick chooses to keep her name before the public? Her son Damon Elliott was hyping this benefit as something much more than it turned to be. Allegedly, practically every celebrity who was asked to participate politely declined. Damon Elliott was allegedly even attempting to reunite Dionne, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and Gladys Knight for the event but all declined and some allegedly never bothered to respond. Wonder did make a surprise appearance at her birthday celebration a few days before to atone for his absence at the benefit but did not appear at the benefit. There was definitely a stench around this event, in my opinion, and those celebrities who were to be exploited to hype Dionne Warwick (i.e. Damon Elliott) seemingly wisely stayed away. Why do these type of things continue to happen around Warwick? This will generate a froth among those Dionne Warwick fans here who worship her celebrity and ignore the traits which have seemingly cost her credibility and in the process helped to delegitimized her wonderful music. For many it's hard to get past all this seeming wholesale whoredom of her fame to ever take her music seriously again. She seems to have coasted on 'That's What Friends Are For" and the money it raised for AMFAR. Instead of leveraging her star power, she seems to have totally squandered it. Now there are those who will say that overseas, she did this and benefited that, but her excessive spending habits for herself and her entourage which have been widely reported in the press for years are very distasteful to those who limit their expectations regarding first class accomodations etc to raise money for their causes. Little of this makes the overseas press. This is an example of how diminished her ability seems to be to raise funds in the states, and she has lost so much at her own hand. Sad and depressing, and yes, anger provoking to those who have supported her from the very beginning. I believe this is one reason why we will never see Bacharach and Warwick together in a studio again and why this album project is likely not to come to fruition; she either willingly or unknowingly seems to surround herself with these shameless self-promoters and I feel Bacharach is noticeably giving her a wide berth these days.

Here's another article on Damon Elliott and the fund raiser:

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 18, 2012
Mahvrick Sits With Dionne Warwick and Drummer Bill Elliott’s Son Damon Elliott Puts $250,000 Dollars into His Mothers 50th Anniversary Event FountaineBleau South Beach
Damon Elliott announces his mother’s 50th Anniversary Event with the FountainBleau this morning. The Event is on December 15th in Miami on South Beach. Friends, family and guests are coming out to the cabaret style event to honor health and wealth of the American Songwriter in the luxurious ballroom.

Mahvrick sat across from Damon Elliott was eating breakfast while headed on A Gulfstream G5 Jet to Miami to pay an estimated $250,000 dollars for his mother’s FountaineBleu Ball Room Birthday Bash with friends and family. Damon Elliott gave Mahvrick Networks an exclusive interview on the Miami FountaineBleau Event and Damon’s philosophy of "Eating til the End".

Damon since his first production project in 1996, Bone Thugs-in-Harmony, has become the President and Co-Founder of Confidential Records and has discovered, mentored, and signed artists such as Keyshia Cole. He has also worked with countless, multi-platinum selling artists including Destinys Child, Beyonce, P!nk, Gwen Stefani, Jessica Simpson, Christina Aguilera, Macy Gray, Britney Spears and many more. His discography includes the scoring of three major films and the contribution of music to over thirty films, including the Grammy winning single Lady Marmalade in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge.

"In the first five minutes of trip I wanted to discuss the tax issue, because the media was hounding Dionne for a week about the 2.6 million dollars owed to the State of California. When I read the story it stated that she had a work out plan to pay off the back due taxes, so I didn’t understand what the issue was. It didn’t seem that she was running from the problem, becuase reports stated that she had worked out a plan...Then I heard Damon was unloading his Helicopter to a billionaire friend. We are on a G5 to Miami. A Helicopter? I was thinking Damon stated, “I owned it with a friend…,” says Mahee

During Mahvrick's 2 days a lot of things were happening during the hours spent with Damon. It was as if he was a power broker selling off his own stuff. The Mercedes was picked up by a trailer. I asked him why he spent $100,000 on his new studio’s lighting and décor. “It seemed to be the nature of Damon. Not that he was in any financial trouble. He was buying and selling stuff. He is enjoying life and doing what it takes to keep the party going even if it means selling off a helicopter,” says Richard Victor Mahee.



Another link below and you may google Fountainbleu and Warwick or Elliott etc.


http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/12/prweb10243939.htm
GehVorbei

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by GehVorbei »

During the last couple of months only she did her massive annual Benefit at the Royal Albert Hall for the World Hunger Project with some of the biggest names in UK entertainment. She attended the UN General Assembly Session as Special Ambassador for the UN World Food Organization. She performed together with Andrea Bocelli a televised benefit concert at the Papal Basilika in Assisi. And she reunited with Stevie, Elton and Gladys for the amfAR anniversary gala. amfAR is still enormously grateful for and public about the fact that TWFAF basically funded the whole operation for the first two years of its existence........There is class written all over these events and there is a genuine commitment showing...

In comparison who gives a fuxxx how she is perceived in the current world of American trash culture and yellow press and ET...

Having said all that I very much hope that, please, another Damon produced album with duets will not materialize!!! I salute Dionne for getting one new album after the other out of personal relationships or new labels wanting a big name name for PR etc.. Contrary to a lot of people here I think the "Why We Sing" "Only Trust Your Heart" and "Now" are strong albums and 7 or 8 tracks out of these will truly stand the test of time and will be important additions to her incredible catalogue forever. But Damon's awful work on the Duets album almost made me give up on Dionne...

You just have to listen to the tacky new "Walk On By" version that Damon produced for some utterly talentless bimbo that's out now to reafirm that reservation.


maestrofan
Posts: 38
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 5:31 pm

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by maestrofan »

Regading the above referenced version of Walk On By: It is said that a mother will do "anything" for her son. Well here is the proof. Mr. Bacharach must be cringing and Mr. David is rolling over in his grave.
GehVorbei

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by GehVorbei »

Not that the maestro is always so selective himself...Ronan Keating is pretty trashy, too.
An Enormous BB Fan
Posts: 1194
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:14 pm

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by An Enormous BB Fan »

GehVorbei wrote: You just have to listen to the tacky new "Walk On By" version that Damon produced for some utterly talentless bimbo that's out now to reafirm that reservation.

I just watched this. I just threw up.
vincent.cole
Posts: 788
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2004 12:45 pm
Location: Staten Island N.Y.

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by vincent.cole »

Bonjour 'An Enormous BB Fan';

You have to be kidding me!!!!!!

I know Dionne has a right to do what she wants; but PLEASE!!!!!!

'Walk On By' is 1 of Dionne classic songs from the 60's! To show case it this way, well I can't think of a word in the dictionary to describe it!!!!!!

Maybe we should ask Burt and see what he says!!! It might be, "The silence of the Lambs!!!"

Take care mon ami.

Vincent
gillanddon
Posts: 224
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 6:54 am

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by gillanddon »

It's not great by any means but arn't they just having a load of fun ... how else? Dionne's great with the kids. I think you are right GehVorbei .. for all the fund rasing errors there are some great ones and I don't think she is being deserted by her friends ... but what are we expecting from her after all? As you say she has cut some great stuff recently .. more than I can say for any of her contemporaries. Once a fan always a fan. THROUGH THICK AND THIN!!!!
BobznBits
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:39 am

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by BobznBits »

Who loves Burt Bacharach? We all do right?! Good.

St James Theatre in Victoria (London) have just announced a Bacharach concert performed entirely by west end musical theatre stars! Its on 19th January - £20 a ticket. I just booked mine, and I think its selling pretty well, so might be worth getting in touch fairly soon. Box office number is : 0844 264 2140

I shall see you there, hopefully. If youre coming, maybe let me know and we can say hi!
blueonblue
Posts: 1548
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:22 am

Re: New Album By Dionne Coming

Post by blueonblue »

Lesser known Bacharach / David track by Dionne....


"blue"
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